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A120 Braintree to A12

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Scheme outline

Replacement of the existing A120 between Braintree and the A12 with a new purpose-built dual two-lane road. The existing road suffers congestion and unpredictable journey times, and takes a circuitous route that passes through numerous roundabouts at Coggeshall. This scheme aims to replace it with a continuation of the free-flowing A120 expressway from Stansted Airport to Braintree.

A wide range of possible alignments were produced for the consultation, departing the existing A120 from two possible locations south of Braintree and connecting to the A12 at one of two points, either north or south of Kelvedon. The preferred route was selected in late 2018 and runs to the southern end of the A12 Kelvedon Bypass, allowing a relatively straight route that will be uncomplicated to build, but which deviates from the existing course of the A120 quite considerably.

The scheme is being promoted by Essex County Council despite the A120 having trunk road status. The work will be carried out on behalf of Highways England. Essex is pushing for the route to be included in Road Investment Strategy 2, the investment period that runs from 2020-2025, but this has not yet been confirmed.

Timescale

2023-2026

Cost

Unknown

Status

In preparation

Type

Bypass or realignment

for use by all traffic

Highway authority

Funding

Progress

The Department for Transport are providing £4.95 million for new slip roads between the A120 and Millennium Way in Braintree. These sliproads could form part of the completed road in several of the design options.

8 June 2018

Option D has been selected as the 'preferable route' despite it being the 2nd least popular option in the original consultation last year.

The route will involve a grade separation of Galley's Corner, and a connection with the A12 near junction 23 (Kelvedon South). It has yet to be approved by government, but this is the option that will be proposed

In June 2018, Essex County Council announced Option D as their preferred route, running from Galleys Corner (roundabout junction at the SE edge of Braintree) to the A12 near the southern end of the Kelvedon bypass. It will now be recommended to Highways England and the Department for Transport for inclusion in the Road Investment Strategy 2, the contents of which are to be announced in 2019. If successful, this would likely be followed by a Preferred Route Announcement.

More information

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